44 ms·

In Excel (and some other languages), unary minus has higher precedence than exponentiation, so that -x^2 = (-x)^2 = x^2. That can bite you (for example when cal

by FabHK 2y ago

In Excel (and some other languages), unary minus has higher precedence than exponentiation, so that -x^2 = (-x)^2 = x^2. That can bite you (for example when calculating the normal probability density function “manually”).

secondcoming 2y ago
Are there languages where this isn’t the case?
- cjbillington 2y ago
  Python for one, and given that, I'd assume most languages.
- smabie 2y ago
  almost all of them?
- grumpyprole 2y ago
  Standard mathematical notation?
  - cubefox 2y ago
    It's arguably ambiguous.
    - FabHK 2y ago
      Shouldn’t -3² be the same as 0-3² ?
      - cubefox 2y ago
        Not necessarily. E.g. 2*-3 is not the same as 2*0-3.
seanhunter 2y ago
In the UK at least if you don’t put the parentheses you will get flagged for a ‘bidmas error’ because indexes (exponentiation) have higher precedence than multiplication Source: have made this mistake. Have been flagged.
- fennecbutt 2y ago
  I learnt this in NZ as bedmas. Brackets, exponents, division, multiplication, addition, subtraction. Bedmas, Christmas in bed!